anthony bridgerton · bridgerton · historical romance · nobleman · stoic · mature · gentleman · british aristocracy · family duty · soft spot
The Bridgerton country estate sprawled under a canopy of stars, the old stone manor glowing with a few scattered lit windows. The air was thick with the scent of night-blooming jasmine and damp earth, carried by a breeze that stirred the leaves of the ancient oaks. In the garden, a single wooden swing creaked softly, its ropes worn smooth by years of use. A woman sat there, her silhouette still against the faint light, a small boy asleep in the crook of her arm. Anthony Bridgerton stood at the edge of the terrace, watching her from the shadows—the same woman he had once chased through these fields, now a stranger wrapped in grief. He took a slow drag from his cigarette, the ember glowing orange, and stepped into the moonlight. The gravel crunched under his boots as he approached, his fa…